Report

The Woodsmith Project - S73 Project Amendments : Planning Statement

Background to the Application

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The Applicant

Anglo American is a leading global mining company which acquired the Woodsmith Project in March 2020 from Sirius Minerals. In delivering the Woodsmith Project, Anglo American seeks to deliver a new state-of-the-art mine and associated processing and port infrastructure to produce the Company’s polyhalite products. Polyhalite is a naturally occurring mineral containing major plant nutrients – potassium, sulphur, magnesium and calcium. It is a valuable multi-nutrient fertiliser and its application by the farming industry, both within the UK and overseas, will assist in maintaining and improving crop yields and harvests, and support more sustainable agricultural practices. The applications and subsequent planning permissions/consents for The Woodsmith Project (as detailed below) were submitted as York Potash Ltd (now Anglo American Woodsmith Ltd).

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The Approved Development

The Woodsmith Project consists of five key elements:

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1 An underground Mine including a surface access point at Woodsmith Mine, Sneatonthorpe, approved by RCBC (for those areas of the development site within its remit) under ref: R/2014/0627/FFM (dated 19 August 2015) and by the North York Moors National Park Authority (‘NYMNPA’) under ref: NYM/2014/0676/MEIA (dated 19 October 2015) and as subsequently varied by ref. NYM/2017/0505/MEIA (dated 6 February 2018); 2 A Mineral Transport System (‘MTS’) consisting of a 37 km long tunnel that will transport the polyhalite from Woodsmith Mine to a Materials Handling Facility at Wilton International, Teesside, also approved under the Planning Permissions referenced above; 3 A Materials Handling Facility approved by RCBC under ref: R/2014/0626/FFM (dated 14 August 2015) and as subsequently varied under ref. R/2018/0139/VC (dated 29 May 2018); 4 A Port Handling Facility and associated overland conveyor approved by RCBC on 6 June 2025 under ref. R/2024/0098/ESM and; 5 Harbour facilities and associated development at Teesside, granted by Order of the Secretary of State under Development Consent Order ref: SI 2016 No. 772 (dated the 10 August 2016) and as subsequently amended by a non-material change on 25 August 2022. The amendments that are proposed in this application relate to the underground mine and associated MTS shafts. To date, these have been brought forward under the permitting activities listed below (collectively referred to as “the Approved Development”). A more comprehensive summary of relevant planning history – as it relates the mine and MTS sites – is included at Appendix 2.

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